This verse from the Bhagavad Gita, spoken by Lord Krishna, delves into the concept of karma and its consequences. It explains how individuals, having attained merit through righteous actions, enjoy heavenly realms, but upon the depletion of their good karma, return to the mortal world. The verse also addresses those who adhere to the "trayī-dharma," which encompasses the duties prescribed for the three varnas or social classes: Brahmins (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), and Vaishyas (merchants and farmers), as well as the duties of the Shudras (labourers and service providers) according to their varna. These individuals, driven by desires and bound by their adherence to societal duties, continuously experience the cycle of birth and death.

In essence, this verse highlights the transient nature of material pleasures and the cyclical journey of life and death governed by karma. It emphasizes the importance of performing righteous actions without attachment to the fruits of those actions, as attachment leads to desires and desires perpetuate the cycle of birth and death. By understanding and transcending the cycle of desires and adhering to dharma not merely as societal duties but as a path to spiritual liberation, individuals can break free from the cycle of samsara (the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth) and attain moksha (liberation). Thus, the verse serves as a profound reminder of the impermanence of worldly pleasures and the significance of righteous living for spiritual evolution.